1. Technical Field
This application relates to the field of automatic detection, isolation, verification and alarming, and more particularly to the field of detection, isolation, verification and alarming using video information.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional (mostly ionization-based) fire- and smoke-detection systems currently installed in aboard aircraft often suffer from high rates of false alarms. Under current rules, once an alarm has been initiated (by the smoke detection system), the pilot is obligated to suppress the fire and divert the aircraft to the nearest emergency airfield. In case of extended range operations of large jetliners over polar regions, a diversion after a false alarm may itself be dangerous, as the nearest airfield may be in a remote, sparsely populated location, may lack amenities necessary to accommodate 500+ passengers, and may render the prospect of safe take-off questionable. Thus, it is desirable that the incidence of false alarms is minimized and that the crew is given a method to visually inspect the state of the compartment prior and after the suppression. This may allow avoiding unnecessary suppression in case of a false alarm. There has been expressed a need for such a method of additional verification.